‘Sweet Boy’ still batting at 100

His back is arched, and limbs weakened by years of hard work, but a self confessed former “sweet-boy” was just glad that God had spared his life to see 100 years.

With slurred speech, Lessie Hackshaw credited years of hard work and a healthy appetite for bringing him to the enviable milestone.{{more}}

“When I was young we worked hard, we didn’t sit around and gamble whole day, no sir, we worked hard and lime after,” Hackshaw said when SEARCHLIGHT visited him last Saturday January 6, on the eve of his birthday.

From a very tender age, Hackshaw who has lived in South Rivers all his life was involved in farming. From planting and reaping provision to cutting sugar cane for the Georgetown sugar factory, he knew what it meant to have the sun daily bathe his back with its fiery glow.

He frowned his face, and shook his head disgustedly as he commented on the attitude of this generation’s youngsters. While he acknowledged that many work and earn a living, he said that far too many of them wasted their days, smoking, drinking and gambling.

Hackshaw also had a lot to say about the quick temper that is displayed by young people these days.

“In my days we use to settle arguments faster but now every body head hot, this is a rough generation,” was his conclusion.

Hackshaw who now shares a humble two bedroom house with his granddaughter Elizabeth and her children told SEARCHLIGHT that he was excited about reaching 100 years and only wished that God will spare his life to see as many more birthdays as possible.

He said that he is grateful for years and knows how blessed he is to be still alive. He had six children and outlived three of them. And try as hard as he did, even with the assistance of his family members, they could not give a definite grand and great grand children count.

The change in his routine is that he no longer wakes at 4 am to trek through hillsides of yam, dasheens and Tania. Today, he takes cool evening walks, and refreshing river baths.

“She does take care of me now and bathe me, she does treat me real good,” he said of Elizabeth.

As for her, Elizabeth told SEARCHLIGHT that she was delighted to be the one who cares for her grandfather, the only grandparent she has alive. She said that he is very easy to get along with and is never out of stories about the old time days.